Eastway Community Update

Greetings!

The following information is for our students living in Eastway Complex: Allyn, Clark, Fletcher and Manchester Halls.

We want the Eastway community to know that we are aware of some mold and mildew concerns in these buildings. The issues are mostly found to be dust and dirt on the louvers of the heating and cooling units. In less than 5% of the cases, the louver had mildew or mold caused by high humidity in the room.

In a few situations, there was evidence of mold or mildew growth. In the situations where the mold growth was minor, the diffusers and/or HVAC system, was cleaned. In two cases where the growth was more substantial, the students were offered the chance to relocate so we could do a more thorough cleaning of the room. 

Please know that each report for mold or mildew is taken seriously. Kent State University follows EPA recommendations for responding to concerns of mold or mildew. As appropriate, each situation has received attention by staff members in University Facilities Management (UFM), Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), and University Housing.

Of note: each residence hall room is ventilated independently. We highlight this to assure you there is not a building wide issue.

Short term strategy:
We asked UFM to proactively inspect the HVAC unit in every residence hall room in Eastway (Allyn, Clark, Fletcher, and Manchester Halls).

The room inspections will begin on Monday, September 26, 2022. UFM staff will start on the first floor of each of these residence halls. Inspections will occur between 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. each day until all rooms are complete. We will know more about the specific schedule at the end of the day on Monday.

When UFM staff arrives to your room, they will knock three (3) times and verbally announce who they are before they enter. If you do not want your room inspected, you must submit your request at https://forms.gle/QWXrX1oNZ3DfUsgw8 no later than 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 25.

Upon entering, UFM staff will do a visual inspection of the room, wipe down the louver, and take any other corrective action necessary based on their review. When they complete the inspection, a notice will be left on your room door.

Long term strategy:
We are in the process of hiring an engineering firm to look at this issue and provide recommendations for long term solutions to the humidity issues.

We appreciate your patience as we ensure each room is safe.

University Housing